Raymond; or, Life and Death

«THIS book is named after my son who was killed in the War.» — abre el prefacio en la voz de Lodge y declara de una línea el origen del libro: lleva el nombre de su hijo, muerto en la guerra

«It is divided into three parts. In the first part some idea of the kind of life lived and the spirit shown by any number of youths, fully engaged in civil occupations, who joined for service when war broke out and went to the Front, is illustrated by extracts from his letters. The object of this portion is to engender a friendly feeling towards the writer of the letters, so that whatever more has to be said in the sequel may not have the inevitable dulness of details concerning an entire stranger. This is the sole object of this portion.» — Lodge fija el plan del volumen y el oficio de la primera parte: las cartas del frente no van como evidencia sino para que el lector tome afecto al muchacho y no lea lo que sigue como pormenores de un desconocido; dice que ese es su único objeto

«The letters are not supposed to be remarkable; though as a picture of part of the life at the Front during the 1915 phase of the war they are interesting, as many other such letters must have been.» — y las acota: no las presenta como notables, sino como retrato de una parte de la vida en el frente en la fase de 1915, igual que tantas otras cartas

«The second part gives specimens of what at present are considered by most people unusual communications; though these again are in many respects of an ordinary type, and will be recognised as such by other bereaved persons who have had similar messages.» — sobre la segunda parte: la llama muestra de comunicaciones que hoy la mayoría tiene por inusuales, y a la vez las dice de tipo ordinario, reconocibles por otros deudos que hayan recibido mensajes parecidos

«In a few particulars, indeed, those here quoted have rather special features, by reason of the assistance given by the group of my friends "on the other side" who had closely studied the subject.» — la salvedad con que las distingue: algunas traen rasgos especiales por la ayuda del grupo de amigos suyos del otro lado que habían estudiado de cerca el asunto; los entrecomillados del original marcan la expresión

«It is partly owing to the urgency therein indicated that I have thought it my duty to speak out, though it may well be believed that it is not without hesitation that I have ventured thus to obtrude family affairs.» — Lodge da su motivo para publicar y su reparo en el mismo renglón: la urgencia que esos mensajes le señalan le hace un deber hablar, y no sin titubeo se decide a entrometer asuntos de familia

«I should not have done so were it not that the amount of premature and unnatural bereavement at the present time is so appalling that the pain caused by exposing one's own sorrow and its alleviation, to possible scoffers, becomes almost negligible in view of the service which it is legitimate to hope may thus be rendered to mourners, if they can derive comfort by learning that communication across the gulf is possible.» — y pesa las dos cosas: ante el volumen de duelo prematuro y antinatural de esos años, el dolor de exponer la propia pena a posibles burladores le parece casi despreciable frente al servicio que espera rendir a los que están de luto si aprenden que la comunicación a través del abismo es posible

«Incidentally I have to thank those friends, some of them previously unknown, who have in the same spirit allowed the names of loved ones to appear in this book, and I am grateful for the help which one or two of those friends have accorded.» — agradece a quienes consintieron que aparecieran en el libro los nombres de sus muertos y a los que le prestaron ayuda

«Some few more perhaps may be thus led to pay critical attention to any assurance of continued and happy and useful existence which may reach them from the other side.» — y declara el alcance que espera: que unos cuantos más presten atención crítica a cualquier seguridad de existencia continuada, feliz y útil que les llegue del otro lado

«The third part of the book is of a more expository character, and is designed to help people in general to realise that this subject is not the bugbear which ignorance and prejudice have made it, that it belongs to» — sobre la tercera parte, que llama de carácter más expositivo: quiere que el lector común vea que el asunto no es el espantajo hecho por la ignorancia y el prejuicio; la frase sigue en la plana siguiente

«a coherent system of thought full of new facts of which continued study is necessary, that it is subject to a law and order of its own, and that though comparatively in its infancy it is a genuine branch of psychological science.» — la continuación del renglón cortado, en la plana siguiente: sostiene que el asunto pertenece a un sistema coherente de pensamiento lleno de hechos nuevos, sujeto a ley y orden propios, y que aun en su infancia es rama genuina de la ciencia psicológica

«This third part is called "Life and Death," because these are the two great undeniable facts which concern everybody, and in which it is natural for every one to feel a keen interest, if they once begin to realise that such interest is not futile, and that it is possible to learn something real about them.» — explica el título de la tercera parte: vida y muerte son los dos grandes hechos innegables que a todos conciernen, y el interés por ellos deja de ser fútil si se admite que cabe aprender algo real sobre ellos

«It may be willingly admitted that these chapters are inadequate to the magnitude of the subject, but it is hoped that they are of a usefully introductory character.» — y los acota él mismo: concede de buen grado que esos capítulos no están a la altura de la magnitud del asunto y solo espera que sirvan de introducción

«The "In Memoriam" chapter of Part I is no doubt chiefly of interest to family and friends; but everybody is very friendly, and under the circumstances it will be excused.» — cierra el prefacio con una nota sobre el capítulo In Memoriam: lo da por de interés sobre todo para la familia y los amigos, y lo excusa por las circunstancias

«Raymond Lodge had been educated at Bedales School and Birmingham University. He had a great aptitude and love for mechanical engineering, and was soon to have become a partner with his elder brothers, who highly valued his services, and desired his return to assist in the Government work which now occupies their firm.» — sigue el mismo relato remitido a The Times: formación en Bedales y en la Universidad de Birmingham, aptitud por la ingeniería mecánica y la sociedad con los hermanos mayores que le esperaba

«In amplification of this bare record a few members of the family wrote reminiscences of him, and the following memoir is by his eldest brother» — Lodge declara la procedencia de lo que sigue y con ello reparte las voces del capítulo: varios miembros de la familia escribieron recuerdos, y la memoria que viene es del hermano mayor

«And now that death has come. Unto each man his handiwork, to each his crown, The just Fate gives; Whoso takes the world's life on him and his own lays down, He, dying so, lives.» — el hermano mayor cierra ese arranque y pone el verso —de Swinburne, según la nota final del volumen— donde el que toma sobre sí la vida del mundo y depone la propia, muriendo así, vive

«My brother was born at Liverpool on January 25th, 1889, and was at Bedales School for five or six years, and afterwards at Birmingham University, where he studied engineering and was exceptionally competent in the workshop. He went through the usual two years' practical training at the Wolseley Motor Works, and then entered his brothers' works, where he remained until he obtained a commission at the outbreak of war.» — el hermano mayor da los datos de vida: nacido en Liverpool el 25 de enero de 1889, Bedales cinco o seis años, ingeniería en la Universidad de Birmingham, los dos años de práctica en la Wolseley Motor Works y luego el taller de los hermanos hasta la comisión al estallar la guerra

«His was a mind of rare stamp. It had unusual power, unusual quickness, and patience and understanding of difficulties in my experience unparalleled, so that he was able to make anyone understand really difficult things. I think we were most of us proudest and most hopeful of him. Some of us, I did myself, sometimes took problems technical or intellectual to him, sure of a wise and sound solution.» — el retrato intelectual que hace el hermano: mente de temple raro, potencia y rapidez inusuales, y una paciencia con las dificultades que dice no haber visto igual, capaz de hacer entender a cualquiera cosas difíciles

«Though his chief strength lay on the side of mechanical and electrical engineering it was not confined to that. He read widely, and liked good literature of an intellectual and witty but not highly imaginative type, at least I do not know that he read Shelley or much of William Morris, but he was fond of Fielding, Pope, and Jane Austen. Naturally he read Shakespeare, and I particularly associate him with Twelfth Night and Love's Labour's Lost. Among novelists, his favourites, after Fielding and Miss Austen, were I believe Dickens and Reade; and he frequently quoted from the essays and letters of Charles Lamb.» — y el retrato de lector, con su límite dentro: fuerza principal en la ingeniería mecánica y eléctrica, gusto por lo intelectual y gracioso pero no muy imaginativo —duda que leyera a Shelley o mucho de William Morris—, con Fielding, Pope, Jane Austen, Shakespeare, Dickens, Reade y Charles Lamb

«Of the stories of his early childhood, and his overflowing vitality made many, I was too often from home to be able to speak at large. But one I may tell. Once when a small boy at Grove Park, Liverpool, he jumped out of the bath and ran down the stairs with the nurse after him, out of the front door, down one drive along the road and up the other, and was safely back in the bath again before the horrified nursemaid could catch up with him.» — la única anécdota de infancia que el hermano dice poder contar, por haber estado tantas veces fuera de casa: el niño que sale corriendo del baño y vuelve a la tina antes de que la nodriza lo alcance

«That death is the end has never been a Christian doctrine, and evidence collected by careful men in our own day has, perhaps needlessly, upheld with weak props of experiment the mighty arch of Faith. Death is real and grievous, and is not to be tempered by the glossing timidities of those who would substitute journalese like "passing-on," "passing-over," etc., for that tremendous word: but it is the end of a stage, not the end of the journey.» — el hermano mayor fija ahí una posición sobre la muerte: niega que su carácter de fin sea doctrina cristiana, dice que la evidencia reunida por hombres cuidadosos ha apuntalado el arco de la fe quizá sin necesidad, y rechaza los eufemismos de periódico que sustituyen la palabra tremenda; la muerte, sostiene, es fin de una etapa y no del viaje

«The road stretches on beyond that inn, and beyond our imagination, "the moonlit endless way.» — y remata la figura: el camino sigue más allá de esa posada y más allá de nuestra imaginación

«Let us think of him then, not as lying near Ypres with all his work ended, but rather, after due rest and refreshment, continuing his noble and useful career in more peaceful surroundings, and quietly calling us his family from paralysing grief to resolute and high endeavour.» — el hermano propone cómo pensarlo: no yaciendo cerca de Ypres con la obra terminada, sino continuando su carrera noble y útil en un entorno más pacífico y llamando a la familia del duelo paralizante al empeño resuelto

«Indeed, it is not right that we should weep for a death like his. Rather let us pay him our homage in praise and imitation, by growing like him and by holding our lives lightly in our Country's service, so that if need be we may die like him. This is true honour and his best memorial.» — y saca de ahí la consecuencia práctica: no llorar una muerte así, sino rendirle homenaje en la alabanza y la imitación, creciendo como él y teniendo la vida en poco al servicio del país

«Not that I would undervalue those of brass or stone, for if beautiful they are good and worthy things. But fame illuminates memorials, and fame has but a narrow circle in a life of twenty-six years.» — la acotación con que él mismo limita esa consecuencia: no desestima los memoriales de bronce o piedra, pero la fama, que es la que los ilumina, tiene círculo estrecho en una vida de veintiséis años

«Who shall remember him, who climb His all-unripened fame to wake, Who dies an age before his time? But nobly, but for England's sake. Who will believe us when we cry He was as great as he was brave? His name that years had lifted high Lies buried in that Belgian grave. O strong and patient, kind and true, Valiant of heart, and clear of brain— They cannot know the man we knew, Our words go down the wind like rain.» — los versos con que el hermano cierra su memoria, sin atribución en el libro: el que muere una edad antes de su tiempo, el nombre sepultado en una tumba belga, y la queja de que nadie podrá conocer al hombre que los suyos conocieron

«REMEMBER RAYMOND LODGE SECOND LIEUTENANT SECOND SOUTH LANCASHIRE REGIMENT BELOVED SON OF SIR OLIVER AND LADY LODGE OF THIS PARISH WHO GAVE HIS LIFE FOR HIS COUNTRY HE WAS BORN JANUARY 25TH 1889 AND WAS KILLED IN ACTION IN FLANDERS ABOUT NOON SEPTEMBER 14TH IN THE YEAR OF OUR LORD 1915 AGED 26 YEARS» — el epitafio de la tabla conmemorativa, en versalitas: el segundo teniente del Second South Lancashire Regiment, hijo de Sir Oliver y Lady Lodge de esa parroquia, nacido el 25 de enero de 1889 y muerto en acción en Flandes hacia el mediodía del 14 de septiembre de 1915, a los veintiséis años

«Whoso bears the whole heaviness of the wronged world's weight And puts it by, It is well with him suffering, though he face man's fate; How should he die? Swinburne» — el verso que cierra el epitafio, atribuido en el propio texto a Swinburne: el que carga con todo el peso del mundo agraviado y lo aparta, cómo habría de morir

«OF all my sons, the youngest, when he was small, was most like myself at the same age. In bodily appearance I could recognise the likeness to my early self, as preserved in old photographs; an old schoolfellow of mine who knew me between the ages of eight and eleven, visiting Mariemont in April 1904, remarked on it forcibly and at once, directly he saw Raymond—then a schoolboy; and innumerable small mental traits in the boy recalled to me my childhood's feelings.» — arrancan los recuerdos firmados O. J. L., es decir el propio Lodge: de todos sus hijos, el menor era de pequeño el más parecido a él mismo a esa edad, en el parecido físico que un antiguo condiscípulo reconoció de golpe en Mariemont en abril de 1904 y en innumerables rasgos mentales

«Even an absurd difficulty he had as a child in saying the hard letters— the hard G and K—was markedly reminiscent of my own similar difficulty.» — Lodge pone el detalle que le sirve de prueba de ese parecido: la dificultad del niño con las letras duras, la G y la K, que recuerda la suya propia

«At a later stage of boyhood I perceived that his ability and tastes were akin to mine, for we had the same passionate love of engineering and machinery; though in my case, having no opportunity of exercising it to any useful extent, it gradually turned into special aptitude for physical science. Raymond was never anything like as good at physics, nor had he the same enthusiasm for mathematics that I had, but he was better at engineering, was in many ways I consider stronger in character, and would have made, I expect, a first-rate engineer. His pertinacious ability in the mechanical and workshop direction was very marked.» — Lodge compara sin igualar: el mismo amor apasionado por la ingeniería, pero él lo volvió aptitud por la física y el hijo nunca fue tan bueno en física ni tuvo su entusiasmo por las matemáticas, mientras que en ingeniería era mejor y de carácter más fuerte

«Nothing could have been further from his natural tastes and proclivities than to enter upon a military career; nothing but a sense of duty impelled him in that direction, which was quite foreign to family tradition, at least on my side.» — y Lodge deja dicho lo que la carrera militar tuvo de ajena: nada más lejos de los gustos del muchacho, nada sino el sentido del deber lo empujó en esa dirección, extraña a la tradición de la familia al menos por el lado paterno

«He also excelled me in a keen sense of humour—not only appreciation, but achievement. The whole family could not but admire and enjoy the readiness with which he perceived at once the humorous side of everything; and he usually kept lively any gathering of which he was a unit. At school, indeed, his active wit rather interfered with the studies of himself and others, and in the supposed interests of his classmates it had to be more or less suppressed, but to the end he continued to be rather one of the wags of the school.» — el humor como el punto en que el hijo lo superaba, dicho con el reverso: en la escuela su ingenio activo estorbaba los estudios propios y ajenos y hubo que reprimirlo, aunque siguió siendo de los graciosos del colegio

«Being so desperately busy all my life I failed to see as much as I should like either of him or of the other boys, but there was always an instinctive sympathy between us; and it is a relief to me to be unable to remember any, even a single, occasion on which I have been vexed with him. In all serious matters he was, as far as I could judge, one of the best youths I have ever known; and we all looked forward to a happy life for him and a brilliant career.» — Lodge declara lo que la propia ocupación le costó y lo que le queda: no vio tanto al hijo ni a los otros como hubiera querido, pero le alivia no poder recordar una sola ocasión en que se molestara con él

«His elder brothers highly valued his services in their Works. He got on admirably with the men; his mode of dealing with overbearing foremen at the Works, where he was for some years an apprentice, was testified to as masterly, and was much appreciated by his "mates"; and honestly I cannot bethink myself of any trait in his character which I would have had different—unless it be that he might have had a more thorough liking and aptitude for, and greater industry in, my own subject of physics.» — Lodge cierra el retrato con el trato del hijo con los obreros y los capataces del taller, y con la única falta que se le ocurre: que no tuviera más gusto y aplicación por la física, su propia materia

«How desperately welcome to the family his safe return would have been, at the end of the war, I need not say. He had a hard and strenuous time at the Front, and we all keenly desired to make it up to him by a course of home "spoiling." But it was too much to hope for— though I confess I did hope for it.» — Lodge dice el deseo frustrado sin adornarlo: cuánto habría querido la familia su vuelta al final de la guerra y el propósito de resarcirlo en casa, que confiesa haber esperado aunque fuera demasiado esperar

«He has entered another region of service now; and this we realise. For though in the first shock of bereavement the outlook of life felt irretrievably darkened, a perception of his continued usefulness has mercifully dawned upon us, and we know that his activity is not over. His bright ingenuity will lead to developments beyond what we could have anticipated; and we have clear hopes for the future.» — y en el mismo capítulo de recuerdos Lodge enuncia ya su posición: sostiene que el hijo ha entrado en otra región de servicio, que su actividad no ha terminado y que la percepción de esa utilidad continuada les amaneció tras el primer golpe del duelo

«THE bare facts are much as reported in The Times:— Second Lieutenant Raymond Lodge was the youngest son of Sir Oliver and Lady Lodge, and was by taste and training an engineer. He volunteered for service in September 1914 and was at once given a commission in the 3rd South Lancashires. After training near Liverpool and Edinburgh, he went to the Front in the early spring of 1915, attached to the 2nd South Lancashire Regiment of the Regular Army, and was soon in the trenches near Ypres or Hooge.» — Lodge abre el In Memoriam remitiendo el escueto relato de los hechos a lo publicado en The Times: el hijo menor de Sir Oliver y Lady Lodge, ingeniero de gusto y de formación, voluntario en septiembre de 1914, comisionado en los 3rd South Lancashires y agregado al 2nd al ir al frente en la primavera de 1915

«His engineering skill was of service in details of trench construction, and he later was attached to a Machine-Gun Section for a time, and had various escapes from shell fire and shrapnel. His Captain having sprained an ankle, he was called back to Company work, and at the time of his death was in command of a Company engaged in some early episode of an attack or attempted advance which was then beginning. He was struck by a fragment of shell in the attack on Hooge Hill on the 14th September 1915, and died in a few hours.» — sigue el mismo relato remitido a The Times: la pericia de ingeniero puesta en la construcción de trincheras, el paso a una sección de ametralladoras, el mando de una compañía al comenzar un ataque, y el fragmento de proyectil en el ataque a Hooge Hill el 14 de septiembre de 1915, con la muerte pocas horas después

«DEATH BY OLIVER LODGE 1916» — la portada, que da título, autor y año sin mención de editorial ni de lugar: el troceo no trae página de derechos de la edición impresa

«Raymond; or, Life and Death By Oliver Lodge. This edition was created and published by Global Grey ©GlobalGrey 2019» — el aviso de la edición electrónica gratuita, que declara quién la creó y publicó y en qué año; es la única mención de sello en todo el volumen

«Contents Preface PART ONE: NORMAL PORTION Chapter 1. In Memoriam Chapter 2. Letters From The Front Chapter 3. Letters From Officers» — el índice fija la arquitectura de la primera parte, la que el libro rotula normal: memoria, cartas del hijo y cartas de oficiales

«PART THREE. LIFE AND DEATH Introduction Chapter 1. The Meaning Of The Term Life Chapter 2. The Meaning Of The Term Death Chapter 3. Death And Decay Chapter 4. Continued Existence Chapter 5. Past, Present, And Future Chapter 6. Interaction Of Mind And Matter Chapter 7. 'Resurrection Of The Body' Chapter 8. Mind And Brain Chapter 9. Life And Consciousness» — el índice de la tercera parte en su primer tramo: los capítulos de definición —vida, muerte, decaimiento, existencia continuada, tiempo, interacción de mente y materia, resurrección del cuerpo, mente y cerebro, vida y consciencia—

«PART TWO: SUPERNORMAL PORTION Introduction Chapter 1. Elementary Explanation Chapter 2. The 'Faunus' Message Chapter 3. Sequel To The 'Faunus' Message Chapter 4. The Group Photograph Chapter 5. Beginning Of Historical Record Of Sittings Chapter 6. First Sitting Of O. J. L. With Mrs. Leonard Chapter 7. First Peters Sitting (Anonymous) Chapter 8. A TABLE SITTING Chapter 9. Attempts At Stricter Evidence Chapter 10. Record Continued Chapter 11. First Sitting Of Alec (A. M. L.)» — el índice de la segunda parte en su primer tramo: explicación elemental, el mensaje del Faunus y su secuela, la fotografía de grupo y el arranque del registro histórico de sesiones, con la primera de O. J. L. con Mrs. Leonard, la primera con Peters, una sesión de mesa y los intentos de prueba más estricta

«Chapter 10. On Means Of Communication Chapter 11. On The Fact Of Supernormal Communication Chapter 12. On The Contention That All Psychic Communications Are Of A Trivial Nature And Deal With Insignificant Topics Chapter 13. On The Manner Of Communication Chapter 14. Various Psycho-Physical Methods Chapter 15. Attitude Of The Wise And Prudent Chapter 16. Outlook On The Universe Chapter 17. The Christian Idea Of God, A Plea For Simplicity» — el segundo tramo del índice de la tercera parte: los medios de comunicación y el hecho de la comunicación supernormal, la objeción de que todo lo psíquico es trivial, la manera de la comunicación, los métodos psicofísicos, la actitud de los sabios y prudentes, la mirada al universo y el cierre sobre la idea cristiana de Dios como alegato de simplicidad

«Chapter 12. General Remarks On Conversational Reports And On Cross-Correspondences Chapter 13. An O. J. L. Sitting With Peters Chapter 14. First Sitting Of Lionel (Anonymous) Chapter 15. Sitting Of M. F. A. L. With Mrs. Leonard Chapter 16. O. J. L. Sitting Of December 3 Chapter 17. K. K. Automatic Writing Chapter 18. First Sitting Of Alec With Mrs. Leonard Chapter 19. Private Sittings At Mariemont Chapter 20. A Few More Records, With Some Unverifiable Matter Chapter 21. Two Rather Evidential Sittings By O. J. L. On 3 March 1916» — el segundo tramo del índice de la segunda parte, donde ya se leen los nombres de las voces y los rótulos de reserva: las correspondencias cruzadas, las sesiones de Peters, de Lionel, de M. F. A. L. y de Alec, la escritura automática de K. K., las privadas en Mariemont y un capítulo con materia no verificable; el índice se corta aquí al pasar de plana

«Chapter 22. More Unverifiable Matter Chapter 23. A Few Isolated Incidents PART THREE. LIFE AND DEATH» — la cola del índice de la segunda parte, ya en la plana siguiente: un segundo capítulo rotulado de materia no verificable y los incidentes sueltos, y en el mismo renglón el arranque del índice de la tercera parte

«PART ONE: NORMAL PORTION "And this to fill us with regard for man, With apprehension of his passing worth." Browning, Paracelsus.» — el epígrafe con que se abre la primera parte, atribuido en el libro a Browning y a su Paracelsus: la portadilla rotula esa parte como la porción normal

«[body of Memoir incomplete, and omitted here.] [Close of Memoir]» — la acotación entre corchetes con que el volumen declara que el cuerpo de la memoria queda incompleto y se omite: es marca editorial, no palabra del hermano

«O. W. F. L. Tintern EPITAPH ON MEMORIAL TABLET IN ST. GEORGE'S CHURCH, EDGBASTON» — la firma con que se cierra la memoria del hermano mayor y el encabezado de lo que sigue: el epitafio de la tabla conmemorativa de la iglesia de San Jorge, en Edgbaston

«O. J. L. Mariemont, September 30, 1915.» — la firma y la data con que se cierran los recuerdos del padre: Mariemont, 30 de septiembre de 1915

«A MOTHER'S LAMENT Written on a scrap of paper, September 26, 1915,» — el encabezado con que el volumen presenta el documento siguiente y declara su soporte: un lamento de la madre escrito en un papel suelto el 26 de septiembre de 1915

«OUR ANGEL-HOST OF HELP IN MEMORY OF RAYMOND LODGE, Who Fell in Flanders, 14 Sept. 1915 "His strong young body is laid under some trees on the road from Ypres to Menin." [From the Memorial Card sent to friends.» — el encabezado del poema de Rawnsley con la línea que el volumen atribuye entre corchetes a la tarjeta conmemorativa enviada a los amigos: el cuerpo del muchacho yace bajo unos árboles en el camino de Ypres a Menin

«EXTRACTS FROM PLATO'S DIALOGUE "MENEXENUS" Being part of a Speech in honour of those who had died in Battle for their Country» — el encabezado con que el volumen introduce el documento siguiente: extractos del Menexeno de Platón, parte de un discurso en honor de los caídos en batalla por su patria

«Sworn in for right against brute might Till Europe shall be free." H. D. Rawnsley» — la firma con que el volumen atribuye el poema a H. D. Rawnsley, al pie de los dos últimos versos

«[This of course privately signified to the family that he was at Ypres.]» — la acotación entre corchetes con que Lodge descifra esa clave para el lector: en privado significaba para la familia que estaba en Ypres; es comentario suyo posterior, no palabra de la carta

«[The family had soon guessed the Acrostic, giving the place as Dickebusch. The "lights" are— D um B I o U Cares S K lu Ck E dit H.]» — la acotación entre corchetes con que el volumen da la solución del acróstico, Dickebusch, y desglosa las claves; es aparato editorial de Lodge, no palabra de la carta

«[The solution of this is the word Peace given twice—once inverted. The first 'light,' which is not 'public' is 'Private'; the second is 'Enteric'; the third is a sign employed in Government telegrams to denote a full-stop, viz., 'aaa'; the fourth is 'Capture'; and the fifth (with apologies) is 'Emp,' and some occult reference to Edward VII, not remembered now; the kingdom without anger being Empire without ire.» — la acotación entre corchetes con que Lodge resuelve el acróstico y la firma: la palabra Peace dada dos veces, una invertida, con las cinco claves desglosadas y una referencia que dice ya no recordar

«[In one of his letters to me (22 April 1915), he said he had plenty of time now to watch the stars, and would like a set of star maps or something in order to increase his knowledge of them. Accordingly, I sent him a planisphere which I happened to have—an ingenious cardboard arrangement which can be turned so as to show, in a rough way, the stars visible in these latitudes at any time of day and any period of the year.» — la acotación firmada O. J. L. con que Lodge explica el envío del planisferio: un artilugio de cartón que gira y muestra de modo tosco las estrellas visibles en esas latitudes a cualquier hora y época; es comentario suyo, no palabra de la carta

«Letter from Raymond to the Mother of an Officer Friend of his who had been Killed» — el rótulo con que el volumen presenta el documento siguiente y nombra a su destinataria: una carta de Raymond a la madre de un oficial amigo suyo muerto en el frente

«Letter from Raymond to Mrs. Fred Stratton, formerly Miss Marjorie Gunn» — el rótulo con que el volumen presenta el documento siguiente y nombra a su destinataria con los dos apellidos

«[I also append a letter received from a workman who used to be at the same bench with Raymond when he was going through his workshop course at the Wolseley Motor Works. Stallard is a man he thought highly of, and befriended. He is now foreman in the Lodge Fume Deposit Company, after making an effort to get a berth in Lodge Brothers for Raymond's sake. He is now, and has been since the war began, the owner of Raymond's dog Larry, about whom some local people remember that there was an amusing County Court case.]» — la acotación entre corchetes con que Lodge presenta el último documento de la primera parte y declara quién es su firmante: un obrero que estuvo en el mismo banco de taller que Raymond en la Wolseley, a quien este estimaba y ayudó, hoy capataz en una empresa de la familia y dueño desde el comienzo de la guerra del perro de Raymond

«PART TWO: SUPERNORMAL PORTION "Peace, peace! he is not dead, he doth not sleep— He hath awakened from the dream of life." Shelley, Adonais.» — el epígrafe con que se abre la segunda parte, atribuido en el libro a Shelley y a su Adonais: el muerto no duerme, ha despertado del sueño de la vida; la portadilla rotula esa parte como la porción supernormal

«[This absurd confusion, stimulated by the word 'poet,' was evidently the result of a long strain at reading barely legible trance-writing for more than an hour, and was recognised immediately afterwards with dismayed amusement by the sitter. It is only of interest as showing how completely unknown to anyone present was the reference intended by the communicator.» — la acotación firmada por Lodge con que consigna el error de la asistente y lo usa como dato: la confusión, atribuida a más de una hora de leer escritura de trance apenas legible, solo le interesa porque muestra lo desconocida que era para los presentes la referencia que el comunicante quería hacer

«passage, which they instantly recalled to me. (Signed) M. de G. Verrall» — la continuación y la firma: el pasaje horaciano le vino a la memoria en el acto

«(Mrs. Leonard's control, Feda, supposed to be speaking throughout.» — la acotación con que el volumen encabeza el registro y adjudica la voz de todo lo que sigue: se supone que habla Feda, el control de Mrs. Leonard

«[This ends the O. J. L. first Leonard sitting of 27 September 1915.]» — la acotación editorial con que el volumen cierra el registro de esa sesión y la fecha

«[This is clearly meant for Myers, who died in Rome.» — la acotación entre corchetes con que Lodge adjudica esa descripción y da el dato que la cierra: la lee como referida a Myers, muerto en Roma

«[Yes, he could hardly have known him, as he was only about twelve at the time of Myers's death.]» — la acotación con que Lodge concede la cautela del control y la funda en una fecha: el hijo apenas pudo conocerlo, porque tenía unos doce años cuando Myers murió

«[Considering that my wife was quite unknown to the medium, this is a remarkably evidential and identifying message. Cf. passage in my book, Survival of Man, containing this tunnel-boring simile; page 341 of American edition (Moffat Yard & Co.).» — la acotación firmada por Lodge que explica por qué ese mensaje le parece identificador: su mujer era del todo desconocida para el médium, y remite al símil de la perforación de un túnel que él mismo había usado en su libro anterior, con la página de la edición americana

«What is more (here Peters jumped up in his chair, vigorously, snapped his fingers excitedly, and spoke loudly)» — la acotación del registro sobre lo que el médium hizo con el cuerpo en ese punto: se levantó de golpe en la silla, chasqueó los dedos con excitación y habló alto; el libro imprime este tramo dos veces, aquí en el capítulo de anticipación y otra vez en el registro histórico, y esta cita ancla en la primera aparición

«(Here ends extract from Peters sitting of 27 September 1915. A completer record will be found in Chapter VII.)» — la acotación editorial que cierra el extracto y remite al registro completo, y que es la que explica por qué el mismo texto aparece dos veces en el volumen

«(A still fuller account of the whole 'Faunus' episode, and a further sequel to it of a classical kind, called the "Horace O. L." message, will be found in the S.P.R. Proceedings for the autumn of 1916.)» — la acotación con que Lodge remite el relato completo del episodio y su secuela clásica a las Proceedings de la S.P.R. del otoño de 1916

«('Moonstone' here put an imaginary stick under his arm» — la acotación del registro sobre el gesto del control, que puso un bastón imaginario bajo el brazo

«(Mrs. Leonard's child-control, Feda, supposed to be speaking, and often speaking of herself in the third person.)» — la acotación con que el volumen encabeza el registro de esa sesión y adjudica la voz: se supone que habla Feda, el control infantil de Mrs. Leonard, que a menudo habla de sí en tercera persona

«[While this is being written out, the above remains true. The photograph has not yet come.]» — la acotación con que Lodge certifica en el acto de transcribir que la fotografía aún no había llegado

«[Capitals indicate large and emphatic writing.» — la acotación con que el volumen explica el uso de las versales en la transcripción de la escritura automática

«[The name was presumably got from 'Paul.'» — la acotación firmada por Lodge que ofrece una explicación interna del hallazgo del nombre: presume que se obtuvo del otro comunicante

«[I do not append the notes of this sitting, since it was held mainly for Madame and her two sons, both of whom were described, and from whom some messages appeared to come.]» — la acotación con que Lodge declara lo que omite y por qué: no adjunta las notas de esa sesión, porque se celebró sobre todo para la señora francesa y sus dos hijos